Why I Believe in Gifted Education in Public Schools

• It is a basic tenet of education that EVERY child has the right to experience growth ultimately leading to the attainment of their own full potential.
• Removing gifted education from the public realm promotes elitism … only the wealthy can afford private schools, tutors, enrichment.
• Failure to support and nurture our high flyers, our creative types, our innovators and yes, our dreamers … ultimately slows the progress of human development.
• All segments of society are educated in public schools – thus providing a reservoir of potential to be identified as gifted.
• Dismantling gifted education programs in public schools spurs the creation of alternative forms of education which drain the entire system of financial resources meant for the education of all children.
• Failure to understand the nature of giftedness and how a lack of challenge may cause the loss of individual potential will be reflected in a nation’s loss in research and development, economic viability, and competitiveness on the global stage.
• Public education offers the best opportunity (when available) of peer interaction for identified gifted children.
• Public schools overall are made better and stronger IF and WHEN they choose to provide gifted students an appropriate learning environment.
• And because … history will one day look back and question the shortsightedness of those who chose to ignore the needs of the gifted student.

Think about the choices you've made or had to make as the parent of a gifted child. I am guessing that many of you, in retrospect, would have made different choices had they been available to you or within reach. Advocating for strong gifted programs in our public schools for the sake of all children just makes good sense.